1929
Born on 14th November in Hamburg to the dressmaker Martha Janssen from Oldenburg. Brought up in Oldenburg by his mother and grandparents in Lerchenstraße 14. He never knew his father. Adopted by his grandfather.
1939
Death of his grandfather followed by adoption by the Guardianship Court
1943
Death of his mother
1942
Pupil at the Nationalpolitischen Erziehungsanstalt (Napola - National Political Education Institute) in Haselünne, Emsland, where art teacher Hans Wienhausen encouraged his artistic talent
1944
Adoption by his mother’s younger sister Anna Janssen, who lived in Hamburg
1945
Move to Hamburg. He spent the end of the war and the post-war period with his Aunt Anna in Burchardstraße, later they moved to Warburgstraße (Harvestehude).
1946
Enrolled at the Landeskunstschule (Regional Art School) in Hamburg at 16 years of age From the beginning master pupil of Alfred Mahlau
1947
First publication of a drawing in the weekly journal "Die Zeit "
1948
Publication of his first book, the children’s book "Is everybody there?"
1950
Birth of his son Clemens Publication of his second book, "The race between the hare and the hedgehog" First woodcuts after Edvard Munch. Dominant themes are animals along with man and woman.
1952
Lichtwark scholarship in Hamburg; at around the same time he involuntarily leaves the Landeskunstschule.
1953
In detention awaiting trial suspected of murder. Finally received a suspended sentence for drunkenness.
1954
Takes up lithography
1955
Marriage to Marie Knauer
1956
Birth of their daughter Katrin, nickname Lamme
1957
First exhibition with large-scale colour woodcuts in his apartment
1957
Exhibition in Hanover in the Hans Brockstedt Gallery
Sudden change to etching, pupil of Paul Wunderlich, who he later considers to be a rival. The subjects dealt with are people of his acquaintance, who he portrays with wit and humour, or he represents himself.
1959
Divorce
Discovery of two new passions - first, ardent courtship of Birgit Sandner, second, "art brut" after Jean Dubuffet, marked by his so-called "scribbling period"
Marriage to Birgit Sandner, separation a few weeks later.
1960
Marriage to Verena von Bethmann Hollweg
1961
Birth of their son Philip
1962
His third portfolio, "L’heure de Mylène", reveals the use of the "line" to achieve new accents in his drawing.
1964
Art Prize of the city of Darmstadt
1965
First retrospective of his drawings and graphic works in the Kestner-Gesellschaft in Hanover;
1966
Edwin-Scharff-Prize of the city of Hamburg
1967
Death of his Aunt Anna
Death of his teacher Alfred Mahlau
Move to Blankenese, Mühlenberger Weg
1968
Divorce from his third wife
With the "tortured arms of Verena" he deals with his separation from Verena. He produces the portfolio "Les Bras" (1970). First prize for graphic art at the Biennale di Venezia
1969
Love affair with Gesche Tietjens. Trip with Gesche to Svanshall in southern Sweden.
1970
Discovery of "landscape" and simultaneously re-discovery of etching. His new style focuses on the "line".
1972
Creation of the portfolio "Hanno’s death". This series of self-portraits is connected to a serious illness. Following his recovery, he produced 27 etchings within one week, "which show approaching death in all stages of disintegration".
1972
Separation from Gesche Tietjen , who is expecting his child.
1973
Birth of his son Adam
Love affair with Bettina Sartorius.
1974
The November Book is produced. The artist deals with his own childhood in Oldenburg.
1975
Schiller Prize of the city of Mannheim.
1976
Retrospective of his drawings in the Kunsthalle Mannheim. Start of intensive cooperation with the printer Hartmut Frielinghaus.
1978
Biermann-Ratjen-Medal of the city of Hamburg
1990
After a fall with the balcony of his house, he produces a portfolio with the accident report "19th May 1990".
1992
Honorary citizen of the city of Oldenburg
1995
Died on 31st August. Buried in the Gertruden Cemetary in Oldenburg. ...